#WrestleNice

Henri Deglane Entries (January 20-23)

Wednesday, January 12, 2022 - 17:41 By Eric Olanowski

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NICE, Frace (January 11) -- In what will be the beginning of yet another calendar year for wrestling, Grand Prix de France Henri Deglane 2022 will kick off things as international competitions resume. The tournament will be held in Nice, France from February 20-23 under strict COVID-19 preventive measures. 

The tournament is headlined by stars including Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) at 68kg in women's wrestling and her teammate at 57kg Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), a three-time world medalist.

A host of young stars are also entered headlined by the USA squad which includes former age-group world championships John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA), Mark HALL (USA) and Zahid VALENCIA (USA).  

U23 World Championships silver medalist Kendra DACHER (FRA) will be carrying the local hopes as she is entered at 72kg. Junior world silver medalist Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) at 86kg will lead the freestyle team for France.

U23 world champion Anhelina LYSAK (POL) is also entered at 57kg and will be joined by her teammate and Olympian Roksana ZASINA (POL) in what looks like a full squad from Poland.

Horst LEHR (GER), a senior world bronze medalist at 57kg, will be the favorite to claim the title as he warms up to a big year ahead.

Junior world champion Emma MALMGREN (SWE) is also entered for the tournament which begins with all 10 weight classes of women on day one followed by six weight classes of freestyle on Day Two, four freestyle and two Greco-Roman weights on Day Three and six Greco-Roman weights on the fourth and final day.

Freestyle

57kg
Guesseppe Ricardo REA VILLARROEL (ECU)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Horst Justin Junior LEHR (GER)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Petru CRACIUN (MDA)
Gary GIORDMAINA (MLT)
Darian Toi CRUZ (PUR)
Thomas EPP (SUI)

61kg 
Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)
Khamzat Timourovitch ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)
Adam Visrailovitch BIBOULATOV (FRA)
Viktor Viktorowitsch LYZEN (GER)
Nico MEGERLE (GER)
Igor CHICHIOI (MDA)
Nils LEUTERT (SUI)
Daniel Nkrumah DESHAZER (USA)

65kg 
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Carlos ALVAREZ IGLESIAS (ESP)
Carlos GUAL REBASSA (ESP)
Quentin Jean-René STICKER (FRA)
Arman Norik ELOYAN (FRA)
Niklas Dietmar DORN (GER)
Alexander SEMISOROW (GER)
Leon GERSTENBERGER (GER)
Moritz Jonathan LANGER (GER)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Eduard GRIGOREV (POL)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Nino LEUTERT (SUI)
Dominik LARITZ (SUI)
John Michael DIAKOMIHALIS (USA)
Antonio Perry TOLBERT (USA)
Patricio LUGO III (USA)

70kg
Benedikt HUBER (AUT)
Pablo DIEZ PARDO (ESP)
Shamil USTAEV (GER)
NRaul ZARBALIEV (ISR)
Patryk Krzysztof OLENCZYN (POL)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Kevin Gerry MAKOTA STROEM (SWE)
Austin Craig HEADLEE (USA)

74kg
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Magamed DELIEV (FRA)
Osman Kubilay CAKICI (GER)
Richard SCHROEDER (GER)
Tino RETTINGER (GER)
Lucas Marco KAHNT (GER)
Kevin SPIEGEL (GER)
Mitchell Louis FINESILVER (ISR)
Nathaniel BUTTIGIEG DUGO (MLT)
Nico ZARB (MLT)
Szymon WOJTKOWSKI (POL)
Kamil RYBICKI (POL)
Chandler Shane MARSTELLER (USA)

79kg
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Pablo GARCIA GARCIA (ESP)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
Beat Konstantin SCHAIBLE (GER)
Patryk CIURZYNSKI (POL)
David Vincent MC FADDEN (USA)
Joseph Lawrence Michael LAVALLEE (USA)

86kg
Damian IGLESIAS VILELA (ESP)
Akhmed AIBUEV (FRA)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Ahmed Ruslanovic DUDAROV (GER)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Joshua Philipp David MORODION (GER)
Andrian GROSUL (MDA)
Denis BALAUR (MDA)
Filip ROGUT (POL)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Krzysztof Grzegorz SADOWIK (POL)
Owen Douglas WEBSTER (USA)
Mark John HALL II (USA)
Zahid VALENCIA (USA)

92kg
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Adlan Bakirsoultanovitch VISKHANOV (FRA)
Johannes MAYER (GER)
Radoslaw MARCINKIEWICZ (POL)
Bakhodur KODIROV (TJK)

97kg
Alejandro CANADA PANCORBO (ESP)
Erik Sven THIELE (GER)
Wladimir REMEL (GER)
Michal Jan BIELAWSKI (POL)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Zbigniew Mateusz BARANOWSKI (POL)

125kg
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Kamil Tomasz KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Hayden Nicholas ZILLMER (USA)


Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR), the first woman from Africa to reach the Olympic finals, headlines the '22 Henri Deglane entries. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Ana Maria TORRES RUBIO (ESP)
Emma Solange Irène LUTTENAUER (FRA)
Justine Fanny VIGOUROUX (FRA)
Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA)
Lisa ERSEL (GER)
Szimonetta Timea SZEKER (HUN)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Agata Marta WALERZAK (POL)
Stefania Claudia PRICEPUTU (ROU)

53kg
Maria BLANCO MARTIN (ESP)
Aintzane GORRIA GONI (ESP)
Chadia AYACHI (FRA)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Angelina Inez PURSCHKE (GER)
Amory Olivia ANDRICH (GER)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Roksana Marta ZASINA (POL)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Nova Ilona BERGMAN (SWE)
Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE)

57kg
Maria Victoria BAEZ DILONE (ESP)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Amel REBIHA (FRA)
Elena Heike BRUGGER (GER)
Anne Beatrice NUERNBERGER (GER)
Josefine Maria PURSCHKE (GER)
Andrea GRASRUCK (GER)
Luna ROTHENBERGER (GER)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Tamara DOLLAK (HUN)
Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Othelie Annette HOEIE (NOR)
Patrycja GIL (POL)
Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
Magdalena Urszula GLODEK (POL)
Jowita Maria WRZESIEN (POL)

62kg
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER)
Chiara Julie HIRT (GER)
Luisa SCHEEL (GER)
Nataliia SHAFIR MAZUR (ISR)
Esther Omolayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Viktoria Miriam OEVERBY (NOR)
Natalia Gizela KUBATY (POL)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Olivia Louise HENNINGSSON (SWE)
Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)

65k​g​​​​​
Nerea PAMPIN BLANCO (ESP)
Eyleen SEWINA (GER)
Gerda BARTH (GER)
Lilly Mariella PFAU (GER)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)

68kg
Marta OJEDA NAVARRO (ESP)
Lorena LERA CELDA (ESP)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Debora LAWNITZAK (GER)
Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER)
Viktoria FELHO (HUN)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Natalia Iwona STRZALKA (POL)
Adina Ionela IRIMIA (ROU)

72kg
Kendra Augustine Jocelyne DACHER (FRA)
Lilly SCHNEIDER (GER)
Jennifer ROESLER (GER)
Tuende Emese ELEKES (HUN)
Maria larisa NITU (ROU)

76kg
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Laura Celine KUEHN (GER)
Bernadett NAGY (HUN)
Marion Brillantes BYE (NOR)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)

#WrestleZagreb

Kusaka earns shot at world title; Iran puts 3 in final

Thursday, September 18, 2025 - 15:57 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 18) -- Olympic champion Nao KUSAKA (JPN) is a step away from winning his first world title.

After finishing with a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships at 77kg, Kusaka went on to win the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at the same weight. The Olympic champion now wants the tag of world champion.

Returning for the first time since Paris, Kusaka wrestled like is the Olympic champion, beating Robert FRITSCH (HUN), 3-1, in the semifinals. He scored a takedown to open the scoring before getting the par terre advantage. He failed to score but led 3-0. Fritsch was in danger of giving up a four-pointer but he flung Kusaka on counter for a point to make it 3-1.

There was no action in the second period and Kusaka defended his lead till the time expired to earn his first trip to the finals at a World Championships.

"Like at the Olympics, you can't predict what will happen. But a year after the Olympics, I want to show my strength to the world again," Yoshida said after the win. " I always worked out with him, so we know each other well. But to me, it didn't matter if he had a strategy or not."

Earlier in the quarterfinals, he defeated Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), 4-2, in a rematch of the Olympic final. Kusaka had to come back as he was down 2-2 on criteria as Zhadrayev launched a counter throw for two points. But Kusaka added two stepouts in the second period to win 4-2.

He will now face Olympic bronze medalist Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) for the gold medal after the Armenian defeated world U20 champion Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) in a one-move semifinal.

Amoyan got the first chance in par terre and he loaded for a suplex on the edge. Abdevali was ready to land on his hands but Amoyan changed his throw and slammed the Iranian in a reverse throw for four and lead 5-0.

Abdevali failed to score from par terre in the second period and dropped the semifinal 5-1 against Amoyan.

Despite Abdevali's loss, Iran managed three other wrestlers in the finals with world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) leading the way. Two World Championships debutants, Payam AHMADI (IRI) and Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) reached the finals at 55kg and 82kg, respectively.

At 130kg, world champion Mirzazadeh had no trouble reaching the final after he defeated Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 3-1, in the semifinals. He got a roll from par terre for two points and despite par terre position in the second period, he won 3-1.

He will face a surprise finalist Darius VITEK (HUN) who denied Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), 1-1, as he got the criteria for the first point in a 1-1 finish.

Farokhi, who won the Zagreb Open this year, powered his way to the 82kg final after denying local star Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 7-1, in the semifinals. Farokhi led 3-1 at the break after a takedown. He scored another as soon as the second period began before adding two stepouts to win.

He will face Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) for the gold medal after the Georgian denied Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) yet another comeback as he had all day on Thursday. Yoshida began with two stepouts before getting the par terre. He failed to score any points but led 3-0 at the break.

It was all Bolkvadze in the second period as he scored three turns from par terre to take a 7-3 lead. Japan challenged the last turn saying that Yoshida's head was out of bounds before last turn. However, the review showed that it was inside and Bolkvadze got a point for the lost challenge to make it 8-3 with 1:10 remaining. 

Yoshida used an arm drag to takedown and make it 8-5 but he did not have any another action and Georgia got its second finalist of the night.

Ahmadi upsets Azizli

Iran's gamble to switch Pouya DAD MARZ (IRI) with world U20 champion Payam AHMADI (IRI) a week before the World Championships paid off as he denied four-time world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) a record fifth at 55kg.

Ahmadi was subjected to a selection bout against Dad Marz in Iran and he defeated the former world silver medalist with ease thus earning a trip to Zagreb a month after winning the gold at the U20 World Championships.

In the semifinals, Ahmadi got a takedown to put Azizli on the backfoot. He was awarded the par terre position as well but failed to score. However, he led 3-0 at the break. Azizli got his chance in the second period but Ahmadi brought out his top defense to not give up any points and keep his 3-1 lead, a score he went on to win with.

He will face another teenager for the gold medal, Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), who defeated Emin CAKIR (TUR), 2-2, on last point criteria to earn a spot in the final.

Lolua, just 18 years of age, won a bronze medal at 55kg at the U20 World Championships in which Ahmadi was the champion. Lolua and Cakir traded passivity points with the latter holding first-point criteria. Lolua got a third passivity which is without points and only position, but he failed to score from that as well. Georgia challenged for a leg-foul but there was none.

Cakir got a point for lost challenge from Georgia which made it 2-1 with 40 seconds left. However, Lolua got a stepout soon after and got the 2-2 criteria for the last point scored to win.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Payam AHMADI (IRI) vs. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)

SF 1: Payam AHMADI (IRI) df. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) df. Emin CAKIR (TUR), 2-2

77kg
GOLD: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) vs. Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) df. Robert FRITSCH (HUN), 3-1
SF 2: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI), 5-1

82kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) vs. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)

BRONZE: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), 8-5
BRONZE: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 7-1

130kg
GOLD: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) vs. Darius VITEK (HUN)

SF 1: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 3-1 
SF 2: Darius VITEK (HUN) df. Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), 1-1